Leaders believe empathy drives performance. The data shows a different reality.
Organizations with toxic cultures are 2X more likely to report significant financial growth—even as fear, intimidation, and psychological safety decline. The result: a growing lag between business performance and human cost—pointing to a cultural reckoning ahead.
Built on insights from 1,300+ employees and executives and more than a decade of research in partnership with Edelman Data & Intelligence
Our newest data finds that employee confidence and adoption of AI rises when their employer offers training. But nearly half are left to figure it out on their own.
CXOs are under pressure to deliver growth in an era defined by AI, cost control, and uncertainty. That pressure is reshaping decisions—favoring efficiency over experience and short-term gains over long-term culture.
Empathy isn't absent. It's being deprioritized
“So how do we rationalize these findings? I interpret them as precursors. Anticipatory signals of what’s on the horizon, and for some companies already here: A cultural reckoning.”
Jon Shanahan
President and CEO of Businessolver
Get the full download on empathy
Our 2026 State of Workplace Empathy report explores the data behind CXO decision-making, culture building, and leadership—and what today’s trends signal for what comes next.
